Gary Robert Guentzel

Our hearts are broken and my family torn apart with grief as my youngest son Gary Robert Guentzel died April 27, 2026, at the age of 46, passing from natural causes. Gary was born March 22, 1980, at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas to his parents Martha Jean Jennings Guentzel and Melvin Neal Guentzel. He is survived by his father, brother Neal Andrew Guentzel, sister Amy Elizabeth Guentzel Clegg and two additional sisters Sukanya Fossum and Deanna Renae Reynolds plus Amy’s children Martha, Paul, Luke, and Timothy, and Sukanya’s children Emma, Christopher, Kaden, Isabel, and Ellie. His service will be at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 N. Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78752 at 12:00 noon Wednesday May 6, followed by burial in Austin Memorial Park Cemetery 2800 Hancock Dr, Austin, TX 78731. Burial will be followed by a reception with food back at the Cook-Walden Funeral home. Gary’s Pallbearers will be his cousin Eddy Wallace, great friend Starr Center, extended family member Andrew Slimp, brother-in-law Eric Clegg and nephews Paul, Luke and Timothy Clegg and niece Martha Jean Clegg as honorary Pallbearer.

Gary, through his mother, was the Great X4 grandson of Texas hero Sam Houston, namesake of Houston, TX and Isaac Van Zandt’s Great X4 grandson, namesake of Van Zandt County Texas, who was the Republic of Texas ambassador to the US and was instrumental in crafting the Annexation Treaty of the Republic of Texas to the USA as a state. Gary was only four, when a drunk driver crossed the median hitting their car head on as they were driving to the airport in San Antonio to pick up his father after his return from a national meeting. Gary’s Mom was killed instantly, and he and all his siblings were left with very serious life-long injuries. Gary had closed-head injuries, leaving him with learning disabilities, and growing up was never easy as he was often bullied, called derogatory names related to his intelligence, but throughout his life he was an incredibly loving, sweet person, so exceedingly kind to all animals and children. When he grew up he was tough as nails strong and became an accomplished Black-Belt in Tae Kwon Do at The Texas Black Institute in San Antonio, along with his brother and father. Gary had an amazing side kick, making him a continuing point-sparing winner. He was later asked to teach karate in Bulverde, TX, which he did for years, and he could remember the numerous katas right up to his passing.

Gary came by almost every night to his brother Neal’s house in the country, often helping with shopping and other chores, where he would listen to music and have fun with him and his father and hang out with his many adopted feral pets. Gary went with Neal and his father to his many months of Physical and Occupational Therapy at Warm Springs Hospital in San Antonio and helped him at his brother’s house with his each night long workouts after his father’s open-heart surgery and surprise stroke with paralysis on his left side, which largely brought him back to normal. Likewise, Gary would not only call every night after he got home, but he would often call his father multiple times at work and his brother at work almost every day at 2 pm just to connect with them and share a story or joke.

Gary really loved music beginning with ABBA, then Ozzy Osbourne, who he saw multiple times, then Old Country music, and seeing Alison Krauss so many times with us. He and his father got to see Bob Dylan and then Alison Krauss and Union Station again in Sugarland, on their recent Arcadia tour and then Paul McCartney, because he loved the Beatles, in concert in San Antonio earlier this year, which he never stopped talking about and always wore his Paul McCartney concert shirt everywhere he went. And he always loved seeing our friend Erica Daniels with us in many shows around the San Antonio area, and really loved the family band The Petersens, watching every new video with me, but never got to see them live because he didn’t like to travel long distances. But he was planning to go with us to Branson, MO to see them in early July. One of this past Christmas presents he wanted and got was tickets for him and his sister Amy’s family in Austin to see The Melvins who were performing there. He also had plans for him, his brother and father to take guitar lessons together.

Gary’s life was never easy, but he always faced each tragedy with amazing strength and hope. He even lost much of his house, which his father had helped him buy next to his, along with all his years of belongings when it burned just before his father went into the hospital 3 years ago, with his father and brother rebuilding it. Gary was so proud of his Black Dodge Challenger with the red stripe that he picked out, and his father got him to replace his other car damaged by fire and smoke. Gary, despite his disabilities, was such a genuinely delightful, good, and always interesting son, brother, uncle, and person who always enriched our lives and made us so happy, but so incredibly sad losing him. His family and friends still cannot believe it and we are heart broken. We all miss you, Gary!

Pallbearers will be Paul Clegg, Luke Clegg, Starr Center, Eddie Wallace, Andrew Slimp, Eric Clegg, and Timothy Clegg.